Las Vegas, Nov. 16, 2004 — Microsoft Corp. is demonstrating its commitment to the banking industry with the launch of experience Banking, an industry initiative announced today at the BAI Retail Delivery Conference & Expo. The initiative is designed to help banks think in new ways so they can differentiate their brand and increase market share and profitability. Banks that deploy solutions from Microsoft and its partners can change the customer, employee and operations experience.
Microsoft provides the technology to make mission-critical applications easier to integrate and more agile, at a lower total cost of ownership. Microsofts partner-based solutions help financial institutions leverage the value of existing systems and technology investments, respond more rapidly to changing market needs and competitive pressures, and increase employee satisfaction and productivity.
“The flexibility of Microsoft®
technology means you can adapt your applications as quickly as the business changes and pave the way for future innovation,” said William Hartnett, general manager of Financial Service Strategy and Solutions at Microsoft. “Microsofts vision is to help transform the banking experience, rather than to simply improve customer service.”
“The key to successful banking, for all parties, is to have the necessary and appropriate information at hand so banks and their customers can interact effectively without turning the experience into a cold, meaningless transaction,” said Jerry Silva, senior analyst in the Delivery Channels practice at TowerGroup. “With customer information readily available in a user-friendly manner, employees spend less time searching for information and more time with the customer. Better technology allows bank staff to be what the customer desires human which also improves employee satisfaction and productivity by freeing employees to focus on the customer experience.
Partner Program
The breadth of Microsofts partner program, which includes the industrys leading independent software vendors, systems integrators and hardware providers, allows banks to choose a solution that is right for their business needs. Experience Banking is being launched with the active support of industry partners that are committed to delivering solutions and services that move banks forward.
This initiative includes partner solutions that run on Microsoft Windows Server System™
, the .NET Framework and the Microsoft Office System. Participating partners include ACI Worldwide, Alogent Corp., ARGO Data Resource Corp., Corillian Corp., Fincentric Corp., HP, Jack Henry & Associates Inc., NCR Corp., NetEconomy, Siebel Systems Inc., Symitar and Unisys Corp.
Key Areas of experience Banking
Microsoft helps banks take a balanced approach to three key areas of their business that will help them differentiate their brand to increase market share and profitability: the customer experience, the employee experience and the operations experience:
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Customer experience. Customers expect convenient and consistent service from the multiple bank channels they access, including the branch, call centers, ATMs and the Internet. Banking solutions based on the Microsoft platform can integrate information from many sources, creating a seamless experience across all channels. Meeting customers increased expectations helps banks change the customer experience and gives them a significant advantage in the marketplace.
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Employee experience. Productive and satisfied employees are essential to a positive customer experience. Familiar, easy-to-use technology helps employees learn faster, which in turn reduces training time and costs.
Bank employees need ready access to a complete view of customer information; however, this is challenging because information often resides on disparate systems. Microsoft-based solutions help bank employees conveniently access data and gain better insight into customer data. Giving bank employees a 360-degree view of the customer leads to better decision-making, an improved cross-selling ratio, and increased customer satisfaction and loyalty.
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Operations experience. Microsoft is committed to providing financial institutions with a platform that is reliable, scalable and secure to help keep their systems available 24×7. Partner solutions based on Microsoft technology are designed to integrate with banks existing systems and provide the flexibility and agility banks need to more quickly and cost-effectively implement enterprise applications such as solutions that respond to Check 21 legislation for electronic check processing and meet the legal requirements of the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT) Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Basel II.
About experience Banking
Experience Banking helps banks change the customer, employee and operations experience so they can achieve increased market share and profitability. The initiative was launched with the support of leading software, hardware and systems integration partners delivering solutions based on the Microsoft platform. Experience Banking is designed to help banks differentiate their brand and achieve a competitive advantage with increased employee satisfaction and productivity, faster response to changing market needs, and reduced total cost of ownership. More information can be found at .
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Microsoft and Windows Server System are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
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